


14 days on the ice with you.

by Kuroh_is_my_queen



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, High School AU, Ice Skating AU, Its unrealistic but its a fanfic ok, M/M, Mikoto is hella gay and pining, Slow burn!, my first fanfic ive written in 3 years so don't judge me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-11-02 00:10:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20555435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuroh_is_my_queen/pseuds/Kuroh_is_my_queen
Summary: Mikoto Suoh is in his last semester of High School and at risk of being held back do to his poor grades and attendance, so in order to get a easy credit to be home free and graduate with the rest of his class, Mikoto signs up for the schools hockey team. Sports being something he excelled at, Mikoto figured this would be a easy credit. The only problem is that the 18 year old hadn't skated a day in his life.So when his grace fails him on the ice, with 14 days til try outs, Mikoto turns to help from 16 year old figure skater Totsuka Tatara to teach him how to skate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ya'll! This is my first attempt at a fan fiction in 3 years so be patient with me and don't judge to much and try to keep in mind it's just a fan fiction! 
> 
> I also was home schooled sense 4th grade and my writing skills probably on par with a 12 year old, so excuse the poor writing and just enjoy the plot! And I only know high school from what the internet tells me sense I was home schooled, I also don't know a single thing about hockey besides what YouTube and Wikipedia says! 
> 
> So everyone! I repeat! JUST ENJOY THE FANFIC FOR WHAT IT IS! I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE! So with no further ado! Please enjoy!

It was finally January meaning that the third semester of Mikoto Suoh's Senior year of High School had begun, in other words it was his last semester of his last year in high school ever. Usually this would be a thing to rejoice over, and inside Mikoto’s rather dull head, he did have a spark of joy of being able to break out of the academic cage he lived in with plans to leave and do utterly nothing, but there was a catch.

Mikoto Suoh was in a lack of better words not the brightest bulb. Well honestly, he could have been a whole forest fire in a place full of small tea candles if Mikoto wasn't a lazy student who'd rather spend his class hours not being told what to do by some old man who was just doing his job, seeing Mikoto rather spend these hours spacing out or going to bed during class hours, and now his grades and attendance had fallen such a great amount which affected if he was even going to be able to even graduate from this hell, and surprisingly unlike most people who would hear they had a chance of spending another year in high school, Mikoto didn’t seem to be to worried or in a panic, which worried his teacher Honami Kushina even more.

After school one day, a Friday. Mikoto was brought aside by the young lady teacher who had just after barely graduating from her college course of academics, began teaching here at the all boys high school Mikoto attended and was one of the only three women who worked at the all male school, which gave a good idea how tough this woman was to be so young and yet have the strength to deal with hundreds of boys each day and not go home and wish to parish in her sleep each night. 

Mikoto didn’t seem to care too much when Honami told him to stay after class, he only leaned back in his wooden school chair and stared to the paneled ceiling, it was questionable if Mikoto was annoyed or just didn't have a thought going through his head, but either way he was in a trance until the young female teacher spoke.

“How about a sport?”

“Huh?” Was the only short reply Mikoto offered. 

“Well, I was thinking about the position you’re currently in Suoh-Kun.” Honami paused, taking a seat within one of her students desks next to Mikoto, showing this conversation was between a worried equal who wanted him to succeed rather than an annoying English teacher. 

“So I thought that sense this year the physical education class decided to start an ice hockey team, maybe you’d be interested? You are good at physical education and you only have to pass so many classes to graduate. So why not try joining something you know you can pass and succeed in.” Honami offered in her kind voice which Mikoto found it was easy to listen to unlike the other teachers.

_Ice hockey, huh?’'_‘Mikoto thought. Ice hockey definitely wasn’t something you saw too often in Japan. The school was random with what education they thought was important to teach and it appears that their sports education was no different. Mikoto had remembered playing field hockey in grade school, for someone competitive and dominating, Mikoto had a lot of fun at the time. He barely remembered how to play but after spending a few seconds on the rink he assumed it would all come back to him just like any other sport did. So what Honami was saying didn't sound like too bad of a plan. He already was doing English classes with her so he knew if he did something that was worth physical activity that he could at least pass two out of the six credits he needed to pass. 

“Sense the sport is new this semester and just a try out, I’m sure that they’d really be desperate for team members, I know that they finished their first set of try outs but with the sport not being very popular, they plan on having a second try outs in a couple of weeks to get more boys to join.” Honami spoke keeping along a one sided conversation, but even though Mikoto kept an expressionless face, she could tell by the look in his pretty amber eyes that he had been paying attention. 

“Yeah,” Mikoto finally spoke with a weak reply, sitting up and turning his gaze from the ceiling to her.

“So will you give it a try?” Honami smiled waiting for her student to reply.

Mikoto only gave a simple shrug.

What did he have to lose? It was a sport, something Mikoto was good at, he figured it was easy credit that kept him from being caged in high school another year.

The only problem was, 

Mikoto didn’t know how to skate.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Following the talk Mikoto had with Honami he had began the walk to the bar he lived over and frequently hung out in after school which was owned by the uncle of his friend Izumo Kusanagi. Mikoto being a minor only took up the leisure of having a friend who worked at a bar and drank some times, but most of the time he got himself a virgin strawberry drink and sat at the bar while his friend who was now in college worked as an extra set of hands to his uncle, while the two boys kept a basic conversation most days.

Arriving at the stylish bar by the name of Homura, Mikoto took a seat and the usual talk began as if Kusanagi happened to be his mother.

“How was school?” Kusanagi would say before Mikoto gave his normal shrug as he took a cigarette out of his coat pocket and lit it with a silver zippo lighter before returning it to his coat once more. 

“Same old, same old?” Kusanagi inquired, drying a glass with a white cloth. Mikoto shrugged again referring to the fact that things had not been ‘same old’. 

“Huh, so something did happen?” Kusanagi continued talking to his friend who acted like he was borderline mute. 

“Yeah,” Mikoto weakly replied before caring on. “Honami asked me to join some ice hockey team.”

“Ice hockey, huh?” Kusanagi thought before looking up as if the ceiling would straighten out his thoughts. “Now that’s a weird sport. Usually more popular in North american countries, ain’t it?”

“Yeah,” Mikoto replied. 

“So why did Honami ask you? Is she interested in the sport at all? She’s an odd gal. I can see how she’d be into some weird sports like that.” Kusanagi spoke thinking of the odd English teacher he also had for homeroom just two years ago before he has headed off to a university. 

“Easy credit.” Mikoto gave his minimum word count response.

“Ah, got ya.” The blonde bartender nodded in understanding as he continued to dry the same glass. “So are you gonna join?” he questioned.

Mikoto sighed as he exhaled from his cigarette he had recently lit. “Yeah, signed up after school.”

“When is tryouts?” Mikoto’s friend inquired.

Mikoto shrugged before giving an answer, “Seventeen days.” 

“Seventeen days, well you got a bit of time to do your research on it. Do you know how to play?” 

“I had field hockey in middle school.” Mikoto replied.

“Well that's good, do you know how to skate?” Kusanagi asked the dreaded question. The thing that had driven to the initial light of the third cigarette sense Mikoto’s walk to Homura had begun. 

'Can Mikoto skate?'

The answer was no. He absolutely could not. Not that he ever tried on ice, but as an eight year old child he had gotten the chance to be on roller skates and after the failure of that, Mikoto felt no interest in skating. There was no real sport to it and people on roller skates looked like jack asses in his opinion, and ice skating seemed like some chick sport or a hobby you’d take up with your girlfriend. So basically Mikoto thought his skating days died when he was eight years old and hadn’t even thought about giving the ice a try. So after the calamity that occurred at eight years old when he tried out the four wheeled roller skates, he could only imagine how stupid it was going to be getting him on ice the skates which involved a singular blade. 

“No.” Mikoto easily replied after taking another drag off his cigarette.

“You signed up for Hockey," Kusanagi paused, putting away the glass he had been drying for far to long. “But you got no clue how to skate?” Kusanagi let go of a deep sigh, “Well now that’s an issue.”

“Can’t be hard.” Mikoto proceeded to say. After all Mikoto hadn’t attempted to skate sense he was eight, he was just a kid at the time. Sense then he had dominated every other sport, so skating should be no exception. 

“Well, it can be 'that hard', no offence but grace isn't exactly your forte Mikoto.” Kusanagi spoke honestly, setting his work on hand aside as he leaned over the bar counter and began to speak about the issue on hand.

“You don’t need grace to beat the crap out of some guy on ice.” Mikoto replied believing if his ankles folded over on ice then he could still swing around his stick to hit the puck and just run on his folded over feet to victory.

Kusanagi’s eyebrows furrowed at Mikoto’s reply. “Um, I don’t think you know exactly how hockey works if you think it’s about fighting others on ice. It’s not ice wrestling, it’s ice hockey.” Kusanagi repeated facts that annoyed Mikoto to hear.

“Well it’ll be fine. If everyone else can do it, I don't see why it would be hard.”

“Well, how about after we’re done here we go to the rink and see if your theory of it being easy works out for you? My uncle should be in at six when the bar opens, so we can go down to the rink. There’s one that's school owned and when the games aren't going on it’s mostly open skate and sense it’s after school hours we should be good to practice.” The blonde offered with a friendly smile.

Mikoto shrugged once again thinking it really couldn’t be that hard to skate. If there where six year old figure skaters doing spins on ice, then an eighteen year old Mikoto could do it too. Mikoto after all was good at all sports, this one had to be just as easy as the others right?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Arriving at the rink, Kusanagi and Mikoto had rented their skates and now walked into the cold room which had felt warm compared to the January winter air from outside. 

“Well this is it.” Kusanagi spoke as he walked to the chairs outside of the ice rink, taking a seat and beginning to remove his shoes and putting on the thick padded grey skates they had for rent. 

Looking to the white icy oval which Mikoto would have to grow used to, Mikoto had no intimidation. Sure, winter sports were never his thing and neither was skating, but it didn’t look intimidating. There were maybe ten people out there. The majority of people skating around the large oval keeping close to the wall to catch themselves if needed, and then there were a few parents helping their young children skate who where using orange plastic walkers to aid them across the ice and in the middle there was a singular blonde figure skater, who by Mikoto’s first glance assumed by the clothing of black skater leggings and a navy blue track jacket that he must be someone who knows what they’re doing, and had no reason to stick to the edge of the wall. 

Mikoto took a seat and began removing his black winter boots while keeping his sights on the ice floor watching the youth in the middle of the rink.

Catching his friend staring, Kusanagi followed his gaze from Mikoto’s golden eyes to the middle of it all to watch the beauty. 

Elegantly as if doing a routine, The slender blonde skater, swayed with elegance as they glided across the ice with their eyes closed as if they were alone on the rink with no fear of crashing into anyone who surrounded them. Watching the slender male, Mikoto felt as if the soft pop music that the stadium played in the background had faded into nothing and time may have slowed just by a second as the blonde figure skater took a leap into the air, doing a spin before landing on his left foot skating backwards as he opened his eyes and began to carry on his elegant skating into figure eights, keeping his arms to the side to aid him in his balance. 

Whistling at the impressive skill, Kusanagi did a few claps which probably weren’t heard by the young man. 

“Now that’s pretty.” Kusanagi complimented looking down to his friend who tore away his gaze and tightened the laces of his skates. 

Not replying to the blonde, Mikoto ignored the elegant skater before standing up. Feeling stable when on the carpeted floor, Mikoto began to have confidence strike inside him. Taking a few steps Mikoto felt his ankles shake slightly, but it was easy so far. You just walked and balanced upon this blade, so being on ice would just be like balancing on a blade while gliding on your hardwood floor when in thick socks, not that Mikoto tended to do that. 

Kusanagi followed having the same issue of stability but with former skating practice Kusanagi was used to this and followed his friend towards the rink.

The older blonde was the one to make it onto the ice first, beating his red haired friend to the rink. Taking step onto the ice, Kusanagi could feel the pull of his feet wanting to separate and make his pelvis hit the floor, but he narrowed his feat inward and stayed strong.

“Here,” Kusanagi offered his hands out to Mikoto who was currently still on the black carpet.

Mikoto ignored his friends help as he stuffed his hands into his black leather jacket and thus took one step onto the cool ice. The feeling as though the floor was moving to pull his feet apart from each other had taken over Mikoto and in attempts to stay up and begin skating, Mikoto began moving his legs a walking movement, but as he attempted to walk upon the ice in skates, the man only began to slip more and more and more, his knees getting closer and closer to the ground with each stomp, shredding the ice beneath his feat in fast movements which escalated with each stomp.

“Wow there Mikoto!” Kusanagi spoke seeing the shreds of ice come up from the ground being kicked up from Mikoto's skates and making obvious marks on the rink floor. Kusanagi grabbed his friends muscular arm, earning a sharp glare from Mikoto who began to stand up straight once again thanks to his friends help.

“Now don’t give me that look, you almost just busted your ass.” Kusanagi lectured, “Move closer to the side.” 

Mikoto looked around to see the few children, or at least the people deemed children, hugged the wall as they skated. 

“I’m good.” Mikoto spoke in a grumpy monotone, to fight embarrassment of being like a child who had to cling to the wall for stability.

Sighing again, Kusanagi looked to Mikoto who currently was using him as his saving grace not to plummet into the ground.

“Well you’re not ‘Good' actually, you kinda suck. I know you don't wanna be like a kid, but right now in ice skating you are just a baby, so grab the wall. Grabbing me makes you not only look like a kid, but makes it look like your my kid, or worse makes it look like me and you are on some ice skating date together.” 

“Shut up.” Mikoto snapped in reply before attempting to skate towards the wall as if it was walking.

“Glide! Don’t stomp!” Kusanagi exclaimed in order before groaning out another large sigh, seeing his tall friend land on his ass when attempting to skate only three feet to the wall. 

_‘This is appearing to be exactly as difficult as I imagined.’_ the young bartender thought before skating to aid is friend again.

Skating continued and it happened to not appear to be getting any better. Mikoto stopped attempting to walk on ice after fifteen minutes straight of Mikoto quote on quote _‘Knowing what he’s doing.’_ and landing on his ass or cracking his knees on the cold floor. Then after that, Mikoto had shoved his pride down and like the other children who now have surpassed him, stayed clung to the wall as he stumbled and attempted to glide around the small coarse, and after thirty minutes, Kusanagi was proud to say they made it full circle and Mikoto had only had his ankles fold twenty times, and fell on his ass twelve times causing the attraction of children to giggle, and a pitiful look and smile from the talented blonde in the middle of the rink. 

Basically to Mikoto this was the most embarrassing thing he had ever done, but thankfully the man tended not to care what others think. 

After another attempt around the rink, Kusanagi saw very little development from Mikoto’s former round, sure it was great development from seeing Mikoto stop attempting to walk on ice and instead glide on ice, but his grace and sense of balance didn't seem to change and he only looked like a cat set loose on ice and skidding all over the place though with his large frame he appeared more like an uncoordinated lion. 

By the time the second round was finished it had been an hour since they had been here, Kusanagi was tired of standing while yelling instructions Mikoto didn’t follow, and Mikoto felt like his ankles, knees, and tail bone where probably broken but his determination didn't stop him. 

“Wanna call it a night?” Kusanagi asked with a sigh which felt like the hundredth sigh that evening.

Standing with his knees bent, grabbing the wall with the left hand while Mikoto’s right hand laid on his hurt knees, Mikoto didn’t reply with words but only with a grumble and intense eyes that where in a bordering a glare.

“Hey,” an unfamiliar soft voice entered the conversation, the voice was distinctly male though if it was just a few octaves higher it definitely could have been mistaken was a girls. 

Turning his head to the sound, Kusanagi saw the sight of the elegant blonde from before, skating to the two boys before gracefully stopping in a T-foot stance to keep him from skating into the two boys.

“Hello,” Kusanagi promptly replied while his red haired friend only looked up with a sharp look that would had made this odd boy scare away, but instead the skater only gave an awkward smile and wave to the greeting of the other boy.

“Is this your first time?” The petite blonde questioned looking to Mikoto, but Kusanagi knowing Mikoto’s charisma being in the negatives spoke up in reply to his friend who he knew was just going to stand there and stare as if the reply was valid.

“Yep, sure is.” Kusanagi smiled as Mikoto glared daggers up at Kusanagi. “This idiot signed up for ice hockey without knowing how to skate, so now the guy has seventeen days to learn.” Kusanagi spoke hanging Mikotos dirty laundry out before the young skater.

“Ah I see,” The smaller blonde replied with a nod, “Ice hockey, huh?” he spoke the usual reply to the sport being mentioned. “Well that’s a little odd, but I guess some boys from my job where talking about joining some hockey team too, but they know how to skate.” he continued, not noticing he was rubbing salt into Mikoto’s wounds by mentioning how the other people in his position where already steps ahead of him, or strides if you use skating terms.

“Yeah, the school he goes to is a little weird, it’s newer and likes to try different things to keep up with the other elite schools around it.”

“Ah, sounds complex! Are you going to university then?” The smaller skater asked.

“Nope, he’s just a high school student. Surprising seeing how scary his face is, huh?” Kusanagi teased with a child-like smile. 

Mikoto glared and grunted to Kusanagi's words.

“No, I didn’t mean that. He just looks more mature than his years then!” The boy replied excitedly.

“I am right here.” Mikoto finally spoke up as he listened to the conversation between the two blondes which had make Mikoto feel like the two had forgotten about his existence even though the blonde skater had been looking to him, never breaking his eye contact as he asked questions that Kusanagi had acted as translator and replied for Mikoto.

“Well, you’re not much of a talker, are you?” Kusnagi spoke back to Mikoto, still staring to the younger boy with a smile though his words he spoke had a bit of bite to them.

The skater only laughed nervously, but none of his attitude had acted as if he was nervous at all, only like he was awkwardly waiting to ask something from the two and was putting up with conversation until he had room to speak.

“Well anyways, what’s your name? I’ve been watching you skate, it really appears you know what you’re doing.” Kusanagi continued.

“Ah, how rude of me.” putting his slender hand to his chest, the blonde continued smiling as he proudly introduced himself, “I’m Totsuka Tatara. My school uses this rink for club activity so I guess you could say I know what I’m doing, but I’m not the best there is most definitely.” Totsuka spoke in modestly. 

_‘What middle school does ice skating?’_ Mikoto thought, not being the best at determining the age of others. Especially those with youthful looks.

“Totsuka huh,” Kusanagi smiled,'' My name is Izumo Kusanagi.” introducing himself, Kusanagi offered his hand to shake which was returned as Totsuka grabbed his hand in a firmly. “So what makes you talk to a bunch of novices like us?”

“Oh, well I saw you guys struggling, it’s not usual you see a grown men struggle on the ice without their lover, and after seeing how you yelled at him I ruled out Kusanagi-San his being a lover, so I figured there might be a reason your here and was wondering if you’d like a little help.” Said the younger boy with a sunshine smile  
.  
“No thanks.” Mikoto replied for himself for once, but even with his reply being harsh, it hadn’t caused Totsuka to lose his sunshine smile.

“Well how about I give you my number just in case.” Totsuka replied causing Kusanagi to look to Mikoto with eyes that read clearly saying he was a ‘idiot’ among other foul words if he didn't take up the chance to be taught how to skate by a pro. 

“I don’t need it.” Mikoto spoke again as Kusanagi’s eyes read a far more fierce glare before turning to look at Totsuka with soft eyes once more.

“You know what Totsuka, how about you give me your number anyways just in case if this idiot changes his mind.” Kusanagi smiled as if he was smiling sweetly at a female customer at the bar, which caused Mikoto to harshly glare at him.

“I said I don't need it.” Mikoto repeated with a sharper tongue, but was ignored as Totsuka got out his phone from the side pocket of his tight fitted skaters pants.

“Alright, should I send you a text?” Totsuka asked, as well ignoring Mikoto’s denial.

“How about you send it to his phone? I go to university and work full time so I probably won't be available to be a messenger."

“That will work!” Totsuka beamed excitedly before handing his phone off to the man who was but a stranger to him and allowed him to punch in Mikoto's phone number.

“Here you go, that will do.” Kusanagi gave a smile like a gentleman as he handed back Totsuka his phone which lacked a phone case which had him a little scared of handing the fragile object on ice.

Typing in a message on his off brand phone then pressing send, Totsuka’s smile began to brighten as he replied “There we go! Sent!”

Mikoto felt his phone buzz from his back pocket and the rage of finding out Kusanagi really just gave this stranger his phone number without consent escalated as he gave him a look of rage which held murderous intent. 

“Thank you Totsuka, and don’t be scared by the way this guy is acting now.” Kusanagi smirked using his thumb to point to Mikoto, “After a nap he’ll be less scary.”

“Shut up.” Mikoto snapped before another voice entered the conversation but this time it was a much deeper voice and came from outside of the ice rink.

“Totsuka!” The voice called.

The trio of men looked to the owner of the voice, it appeared to belong to a tall slender male with long black hair tied into a ponytail, his face had elegant features but looked stern as if all the thoughts in his head must have been serious, if his face where to lighten up it could have been mistaken for the other gender but with the height and voice of a male, he definitely didn't pass.

“Kuroh-kun!” Totsuka excitedly replied.

“Everyone’s ready to go.” He shouted to the blonde as he held his sports bag in one hand and laid the other on his hip.

“Alright, sorry!” Totsuka shouted back before looking back to his new found acquaintances. 

“Got to go! Nice meeting you! Be sure to call me if you decide you want any help!” the blonde smiled with enthusiasm before skating off the rink and walking to his friend, they past some words but it hadn’t been audible to the other two boys. 

Watching the blonde figure skater leave, Kusanagi rested his hands on his hips, meanwhile Mikoto had finally gotten the strength to pull himself back up from the floor and stand as he clung to the wall.

"How lucky is that? Being offered to learn to skate from a figure skater, if it was a cute girl I'd fake it and act like I couldn't state, I mean skater girls are kinda like the new volleyball girls." Kusanagi nodded to his nonsense he spoke which only showed his immaturity he supposedly left in high school.

"Shut up. What are you even talking about?" Mikoto questioned not wanting to know the answer, as he attempted to fix his poor posture.

"You wouldn't get it. You go to an all boys school." 

"So did you." 

"Well now I go to college, you might get it if you go, but even if you do go to a school with women, I doubt you’d get it." Kusanagi spoke in a teasing voice to Mikoto's lack of relationship history before changing the topic, "Well basically Mikoto, if you don't take up this opportunity I'm going to beat you black and blue."

Rolling his eyes, Mikoto groaned, "I don't need a trainer, I especially don't need to be taught by some ice fairy." The redhead spoke harshly before stumbling his way to the exit and leaving the rink with his judgmental friend following behind him preparing a lecture for the car ride home. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Leaving the rink, Totsuka had a small pip in his step as he stared at his phones screen which showed the text he had sent to his new found acquaintances, hoping that within the few minutes they had been apart that they would message him for his services.

"Totsuka-san." Kuroh spoke up as he walked beside the blonde.

"Mhm, what is it?" Totsuka looked up to the raven haired male with a smile plastered to his face.

"If you don't mind me intruding on your private life, mind if I ask who those two boys where?" 

"Oh, they were just strangers." Totsuka shined getting a nod from Kuroh, "The tall blondes name was Kusanagi-san, and-" Totsuka paused as he looked to the number on his phone realizing he never got a chance to hear the tough looking red heads name. "Well I guess I never got the others name."

"You didn't ask?" Kuroh inquired finding it was a little weird Totsuka hadn't persistently went after the others title.

"I guess not, but I have his phone number now. I wonder what I should put him in my contacts as." Totsuka began to hum in questioned before gasping as he came to a conclusion. "I know! How about King!" 

Kuroh gave a confused look to Totsuka, "King?" He quoted back.

"Mhm, I was thinking when he was stumbling around he kind of looked like a lion let loose on the ice, a king in its wrong habitat! So I'll just call him King!" 

And with that declaration, Totsuka had changed the name in his phone book from the long line of numbers to "King" with two Crown emojis on each side.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Two days had passed and it appeared nothing was improving. Honestly at this point neither Kusanagi or Mikoto could figure out where they were going wrong. Kusanagi finally got him to stop running on ice, but his gliding was just as clumsy. Even after a total of three hours practice of skating sense they have been approached by Totsuka, Mikoto still hadn't made it away from the wall or had made it a time around without falling flat on his ass at least twice. 

So once the training ended again for the third day in a row, Mikoto returned to the bar and made his way up the stairs. Dismissing his jacket in his doorway, then his white T-shirt along with his phone from his pants pocket on his bed, then tossing his pants on the way to the bathroom leaving a trail of clothes behind him, only leaving his underwear and socks to take off before entering the hot shower he had prepared and began to wipe away the sweat and the dirty shredded ice that he had gotten on his skin.

Looking to his legs, Mikoto could have sworn he got less bruises fighting a man. His arms had bruises to and his hands had gotten a little torn up from constantly catching himself on the ice. Mikoto couldn't help but groan on how pathetic he felt from having a sport do such a number on him.

After cleaning himself, Mikoto had exited the shower and after only putting on a pair of boxers, Mikoto left the steam filled bathroom with a towel over his shoulders and flopped down on his large bed before grabbing his phone he tended to avoid, the unlocking it to see the still unread text he had gotten that Friday. Mikoto grumbled at the pitiful thought of him turning to get help from the sunshine like skater he couldn't get the smile out of from his head for the past two days.

But as much as turning for help would crush Mikoto's pride, opening the message couldn't hurt could it? At Least it would get rid of the red notification in the corner of Mikoto’s phone screen that constantly had a little number ‘1’. Mikoto could hope maybe it was impacted with wisdom that had a tip that would cure his inability to skate. Either way both of those thoughts where just excuses to see what the blonde said, and who could say what he said until he opened it. So he did.

It was a simple text that wrote, _Here to help! ~Totsuka Tatara"_"

In other words, there was no wisdom from this message. Mikoto groaned at that fact as he stared at the little phone icon within the right corner of his screen, the thought of his finger touching it and calling Totsuka had made his chest feel as if there was something heavy sitting on it, and the heavy something crushing him was his own pride. He knew that the second he crushed it with just a tap of a finger this feeling would go away, but he also knew by tossing his phone aside and going to sleep that the feeling on his chest would only become defeat seeing his skating had been going nowhere and would continue that way if he was on his own. So choosing the loss of his pride rather than defeat, Mikoto pushed the call button.

It was 9pm, it was rather rude to call a stranger at this hour, and anyone in their right mind would have sent a text or waited til morning. Mikoto thought about hanging up after the third dial tone, throwing in the towel and just going to sleep before hearing the phone pick up from the other line.

_"Ah, King I thought you'd never call!"_Totsuka's voice came from the other side of the line.

Mikoto was tempted to hang up right then and there, but the initial pick up of the phone with the nickname confused him so much he didn't hang up just to make sure he heard him right, even if he did hear him right, he wasn't going to fight it or question it. 

"Hey." Mikoto spoke back biting back his pride which still fought its destruction.

_"I was wondering if you'd ever call."_Totsuka repeated again.

_'Wasn't actually planning on it.'_ Mikoto thought.

"Yeah." Mikoto responded being a bad conversationalist. Usually he would have preferred to text but he knew if he wrote out a message then he wouldn't send it. 

_"Well, are you calling about practice?"_ Totsuka carried on from the other line, his soft voice of the other boy made Mikoto's heart start to race. 

_'This is stupid.'_ Mikoto thought as it felt like a wave of panic went over him, _'This is so stupid.'_ Mikoto repeated in his head not knowing why he was getting so worked up over a stupid phone call, to a stupid kid who was going to teach him a stupid thing.

"Yeah," Mikoto returned, hating himself for his stupid short responses which made this conversation even more stupid in his eyes.

_"Alright, that's great! How's tomorrow then for you? I get off work at six, after that we can meet up at the rink. Sound alright?"_ Totsuka kept up the awkward conversation, talking enough for the other didn't need to give decent replies.

"That's fine." Mikoto mustered up a two words finally.

_"That's great! See you then King!"_ And like that, the odd ball hung up without saying goodbye.

Mikoto took the phone away from his ear to confirm to himself that he had just been hung up on so abruptly, but perhaps Totsuka was just as bad as a conversationalist as him but in a different way 

"Why the hell is he calling me 'King'?" Mikoto inquired out loud to the empty room before folding his arms behind his wet head, and looked to the ceiling for the answers to everything.

Day fifteen was done and over and Mikoto officially had fourteen days to be a good enough skater to try out for this dumb team, after that he was fine and home safe. He'd just have to barrel through these fourteen days while throwing his dignity aside and putting himself in the hands of this strange kid named Totsuka Tatara. Closing his eyes to the ceiling and focusing on the black color off the inside of his eyelids, Mikoto began to let his thoughts go quiet and just enjoy the feeling of having the weight of his pride finally off his chest.

But one question never seemed to leave his mind.

_“Why the hell was he calling me ‘King’”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikoto and Totsuka's first time on ice together!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright ya'll! I am aware that my first two chapters will probably suck but they're just here to get the ball rolling! Please sit tight til I produce chapter three and up! I swear they'll be better!

As instructed Mikoto had begun his hike to the ice rink for the fourth day in a row. Despite this day seeming to be a little brighter than the previous three sense this time he had a promising chance of not busting up his body like he had been. Even so, he still couldn’t help but want to shield his eyes from the sun and hide in his cave of a bedroom, give up on this whole ice skating thing and just survive another year of high school or take another class he’d probably fail, but before he could let that want take a hold of him, he had entered the ice rink, rented his skates, and distracted himself with thoughts of how much money he’s spent on rentals lately, prior to walking through the rinks doors to find a surprisingly empty rink with only Totsuka in the seats, who currently was laying his head upon his knees as he stretched to touch his toes.

“King!” The blonde excitedly turned his head to the sound of the doors opening, letting go of his feet, then sitting up straight to fix his posture. 

Mikoto didn’t say anything, only sat down two seats away from Totsuka who currently was taking up three seats just with his stretching, and began to put on the skates he had grown to despise more than ever. 

“You should stretch before you skate King.” Totsuka suggested with a pleasant smile, giving Mikoto his first tip as his new instructor. 

“I’m fine.” Mikoto answered, not looking away from the laces of his shoes that he pulled tightly before standing up.

“Suit yourself.” The blonde smiled as he slipped on the white figure skates that unlike the ones they rented at the rink appeared to be lightweight and gave a much more of an elegant look to them, rather than the chunky grey ones that Mikoto had been using for the past four days.

“You ready?” Mikoto questioned, biting down his pride, preparing to bust his ass on the ice at least five more times tonight. 

Finishing lacing up his skates, Totsuka nodded then stood from his seat and spoke, “I should be asking you, sense I’m now your new coach and all.” 

“Coach?” Mikoto repeated with furrowed brows.

“Mhm, Coach. I’m teaching you to skate, that basically makes me your coach, doesn’t it?” Totsuka smiled, causing Mikoto’s skin to crawl at the thought of some ‘kid’ being his coach, but in the end Mikoto did know that Totsuka was far more talented than him and would always be that way as well. 

Totsuka once again took the first step on ice, not stumbling for even a moment as he skated a few feet away from the entrance in order to give Mikoto room to fall if he ended up losing his balance again. 

Taking a step on ice for the fourth time, Mikoto’s ankles shook and he quickly grabbed the edge of the wall knowing full well if he didn’t then he’d hit the cold floor. 

“Alright, now take this!” Totsuka smiled before skating over while he pushed a medium sized orange object made of plastic, that appeared to be in the shape of a ‘old women's’ walker, in front of him.

“What the hell is that?” Mikoto stared to the plastic object, knowing perfectly well what that cursed object was. He’d seen many children use it as they waddled besides their parents and there was no way in hell Mikoto was going to use it. He had already thrown out his dignity going for help with someone he deemed a 'middle schooler', he’s not going to use a child's tool. 

“An ice walker, it’s good for beginners like yourself.” Totsuka smiled, proud of himself at the device he had found for Mikoto.

“No.” Mikoto bluntly replied.

“What do you mean ‘No’? I spent five dollars renting that. You have to use it! It should teach you some balance.” Totsuka began to pout, though it wasn’t an earnest one, it was a simple pout of manipulation and it was sort of working as well. 

“I can balance fine, I don’t need some kid walker.” Mikoto explained, letting go of the wall and standing straight up, shaking slightly to keep his balance.

“No one's here to be embarrassed over, just use the walker. If even for just one time around! If you can get one time around with no fail with the walker, then you can get rid of it! It’s your coaches orders!” the blonde winked, making Mikoto regret this whole thing, but in the end to get things over with and in attempts not to fall over, Mikoto obediently grabbed the plastic walker in front of him with a sharp glare that would usually make the normal person shake in fear.

But Mikoto was quickly finding out that Totsuka wasn’t your normal person, instead of shivering in fear and taking back his commands in terror that Mikoto may pounce and kill him for tarnishing his ego, Totsuka began to giggle at the sight of a man over six feet tall, shake to keep his balance as he used a walker meant for a child of under five feet.

“Why are you laughing?” Mikoto hissed but at the same time he asked this question, for whatever reason Mikoto couldn’t help himself but to have the corners of his mouth raise in a bitter smile. Perhaps it's because it's been a long time since he truly got play the fool without consequences, or maybe it’s because this was the first time in awhile he acted naturally with a new person and that person didn’t reply in fear.

“Nothing, nothing at all!” Totsuka lied with a few more giggles before then shouting instructions in order to get their route set.

Taking the first few strides, Mikoto couldn’t help but be annoyed that Totsuka had been skating backwards in front of him, it was like he was trying to show off for him, but for all Mikoto knew maybe everyone who knows how to skate knows how to go backwards as well. So he chose to ignore it and followed the small blonde who shouted out all his skating flaws.The first thing Totsuka pointed out was the fact Mikoto was far to lax when on the ice. He tended to slouch once he felt like he wasn’t going to fall and once he slouched, his feet decided to go slightly duck footed and with that, he crashes. Mikoto almost felt annoyed at Totsuka pointing out all his flaws, but after two tries around with that damn plastic walker, he finally made it no slip ups thanks to the critique.

Kicking the plastic walker away from him to the middle of the rink as a ‘good riddance’, while his hands stay clung to the wall for he didn’t slip, Mikoto faced Totsuka who still stood with a smile on his face not being phased at all by this little exercise they’ve gone through.

“What next?” Mikoto inquired a little smug, having new found confidence after he defeated the ice walker. 

Putting his slender arms out, Totsuka gave over both of his hands to the older boy. “Here.” Totsuka insisted.

“What?” Mikoto looked to the smaller slender hands with a raised eyebrow.

“Take my hands.” Totsuka chimed with a smile.

Looking to Totsuka’s hands before looking to his small frame and then to his youthful girly face, Mikoto only gave a small chuff of laughed at the thought of himself giving this small ‘kid’ his weight to deal with.

“As if.” 

“‘As if’?” Totsuka repeated with a small pout. “What do you mean ‘as if’? You just used a baby walker, what pride do you have to lose by taking my hands.” the blonde huffed.

“There’s no way a thirteen year old kid can hold me up, is all I'm saying.” 

“Thirteen?” Totsuka tilted his head being a little surprised at how young Mikoto thought he was. In the past he was always gauged to be younger than his years, but thirteen was a little harsh in Totsuka’s opinion. “I’m not thirteen, I’m sixteen, so I shouldn’t be much younger than you.” he stated with an aloof smile, “I’ve also been skating for about six years, I’m sure my legs have the strength to hold you up by now.” 

“Sixteen?” Mikoto thought over, taking a look at his Totsuka's pretty boy face as his mind began to ramble thoughts of the other boys who Mikoto went to his school around that age, and in no way did Totsuka look as mature as the others sixteen year old's. His skin looked far to soft and lacked blemishes, his eyelashes still far to long, face far to round, his body far to petite, and then Mikoto’s attention had been brought to the legs Totsuka mentioned earlier, slender legs in tight fitted black skater pants, his legs were not quite skinny but also not drastically muscular, just sculpted enough that it was eye-catching and before Mikoto knew it, he couldn’t help but feel like some creep who was checking out Totsuka and with that thought going through his head like wildfire, his sight of Totsuka’s legs quickly became the sight of the ceiling as slipped backwards, crashing onto the floor, having his head hit the ice with a 'thunk'. 

“See, should have taken my hands.” Totsuka spoke in his usual soft nice voice, before skating over Mikoto, now gazing over the fallen man with both of his hands reached out to him for his aid.

Mikoto laid on the ice for a second, still taking in Totsuka’s looks, he wasn’t sure if it was because he just hit his head, but he thought of Totsuka’s youthful face once again as he stared at it from above and thought that maybe he didn’t look young and just happened to be prettier than any of the other boys he’s ever seen.

“Come on.” Totsuka smiled softly to which made Mikoto feel as if there where dramatic shoujo soap bubbles surrounding the younger boy and those bubbles surely going to suffocate Mikoto if he had to stare at Totsuka any longer. 

Ignoring Totsuka’s offer, Mikoto pushed himself up from the cold ground, using the wall as his friend to get him up, then scratched the back of his head.

“You alright King?” Totsuka asked with a slightly worried look. 

“Yeah, just hit my head. Nothing new.” Mikoto shrugged off the throbbing feeling of his skull, keeping his eyes to the floor rather than Totsuka. 

“Ready to start again?” Totsuka questioned with a tilt of his head, having his pretty blonde tresses fall into his face ever so slightly. 

Mikoto only took a glance at Totsuka’s pretty smile once before shaking his head to hope the sudden seeing Totsuka in some sort of beauty filter would wear off.

“Yeah.”

“Great! How about you skate to me, and I’ll keep my hands out just in case if you need them? That way you don’t have to shoot your ego right away.” Totsuka offered kindly.

“Now you’re worried about my ego?” Mikoto gave a laugh that resembled a ‘cheh’ sound, “After giving me some baby toy to play with?" Mikoto continued.

“Well you even stumbled with the baby toy, so it was a necessary shoot to your ego.” 

Mikoto grumbled to Totsuka’s words but then let out another sigh as he turned his sights to Totsuka’s sweet smile, _‘He never stops that face, huh?’_ Mikoto thought as he gave up on his avoidance of eye contact.

“Whatever.” Mikoto flatly replied. “Let’s do this.” 

“Alright!” Totsuka rejoiced before restarting his position of skating backwards with his hands out front to Mikoto, who began to stumble right off the bat before catching his balance and fixing his posture like the lesson he learned from before and began to follow the graceful skater in front of him.

At first when Mikoto stumbled he stubbornly still refused the aid of Totsuka, falling on his own accord and receiving a lecture by his ‘coach’ telling him if he’s ever going to learn he’s going to want to learn with no broken bones, so he best take his hands when he needs them. Mikoto refused again until the next time he fell when Totsuka gracefully caught him by his arms sleeve, and much to Mikoto’s surprise, Totsuka didn’t plummet to the ground and get crushed beneath Mikoto’s weight. He held him up before he could regain his balance and set him off on his own once more.

This carried on for awhile longer, the routine of Mikoto going a few strides, some strides making it maybe even a quarter around the course, and other strides just two steps before he fell, but this time around, every time he went to hit the ice, he reached out to Totsuka’s slender hands or some times grabbing onto his forearms to catch himself from disaster, and each time Totsuka just sweetly giggled and gave words of assurance unlike Kusanagi who most of the time called him a ‘klutz’ or a ‘idiot’ each time he fell. 

After about five times around, Mikoto finally made it around the rink without falling once, causing Totsuka to applaud.

“Nice job King!” Totsuka beamed brightly.

“Yeah.” Mikoto mumbled without much expression though inside he had felt as if maybe he wasn’t a hopeless cause at this point. 

“To celebrate how about I get drinks for us!” 

“Sure.” Mikoto replied to the offer seeing he was getting rather thirsty from skating around for over an hour now.

“What do you like? Coke, water, something else?” Totsuka inquired as he rocked slightly on the blade of his skates which made Mikoto falter for a moment expecting Totsuka to fall, but Totsuka didn’t slip for a moment.

“Coke is fine.” The red head responded as he began to make a few strides for the exit of the rink before taking his first steps onto the black carpet as the feeling of his legs gaining weight again making him feel as if cinder blocks where tied to his feet while he became adjusted to walking on land again. 

Totsuka followed Mikoto, but while Mikoto went to the seats to take off his skates, Totsuka headed to the doors as he shouted his reply of, “Alright then, coke it is. Be right back!” with a wave. 

Mikoto sat down on the seats, taking a quick breather before removing his skates. He had no clue why he was so worn out. All the other days he had been just fine, only aggravated with the fact that he had gotten so beat up by some sport he used to deem a ‘kids sport’ or ‘girls sport’, but he guessed it's what he gets for underestimating children and women. But even though he was worn out, Mikoto didn’t feel like it was is body that was worn, but instead it was his spirit, maybe it was from having Totsuka take a sledgehammer to his pride constantly, or maybe it was just from being around such a light, soft, warm person like Totsuka. After all this whole day despite the chaos, just sort of just felt like Mikoto was in the warm light a cat would bath in as it takes a nap in the summertime. 

Shaking his head to get these thoughts out of his head, Mikoto sighed as he took off his skates and put back on his boots, taking another moment to himself before realizing Totsuka sure was taking a while. So out of curiosity and impatience, Mikoto began to walk to the door and look out to a scene that looked like it was from some sort of high school movie.

Totsuka stood against a pillar, two drinks in hand as three boys in uniform seemed to have him cornered, giving smug smiles while Totsuka looked rather nervous but after all still didn’t lose that naive grin. Looking to this scene, Mikoto could obviously tell that these guys were harassing him.

Taking a few step closer, the chain from his side making an audible clank as he walked to the scene. The three boys looked over and just as fast as they looked, they looked back to Totsuka before hissing a “See you around.” and making their way out of the building in a fast pace.

Mikoto felt disappointed that they didn’t put up a fight if he were to be honest. For the past four days he has been held up in an ice rink and he began to miss confrontation, seeing the only confrontation had gotten as of late was from the ice covered floor of the rink. 

“What was that?” Mikoto asked as he looked to Totsuka who still stood, back against the pillar.

“Oh, that.” Totsuka nervously chuckled before handing Mikoto his soda.

Mikoto took it but still looked to Totsuka for an answer.

“Well, that’s nothing to worry about really. “ Totsuka smiled softly before walking towards the rink door again. 

“Who were they?” Mikoto reworded the question, hoping Totsuka would tell him they where some people he needed to get taught a lesson, that way Mikoto to go back out there, find them, and kick there asses and use justice as an excuse. 

“They’re just some guys from my school. Some of the boys there can get really rude to the male ice skaters seeing they say it’s a ‘women's sport’ or whatever, but since everyone in the skating club is sort of scary in their own cool way, the boys try to find me when I’m alone and say some slurs every once in awhile.” Totsuka explained with a smile, taking a seat as he removed his skates, not seeming to take his position as a victim to bullying with as anything but a grain of salt. 

“So they go to the skating rink though they think it’s girly, just to harass you?” Mikoto questioned as he placed his hands in his coat pockets, wishing he had just walked out there and started a fight, but sense they walked away so fast do to their fear of Mikoto just from a glance, Mikoto figured they’d be a weak fight seeing they target Totsuka of all people as their choice of punching bag. 

“Basically, yeah.” Totsuka nodded before putting his skates in his backpack. “I’m not hurt or anything though, They’re just some dumb boys.” The blonde said in his normal cheery spirit before looking up to Mikoto. “Ready to go?”

Taking another moment just to stare, Mikoto felt as if he spoke more than he had in centuries already today, so he just shrugged before giving a nod and moved himself towards the door with Totsuka following him. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arriving home that night, Mikoto couldn’t stop thinking about today and he didn’t know why. Maybe it was from his long awaited victory of finally making it once around the rink without falling, or maybe it was because he hit head head and ever since he felt his head be fuzzy with 'lame' thoughts'. No matter why he felt this way, Mikoto couldn’t help himself but feel uneasy with all these thoughts, seeing Mikoto wasn’t really one to sit around a think over life to often. He sort of let animal instinct take over his life, though recently he had seen how far his animal instincts where getting him. 

Opening the bar door, hearing the usual chime, Mikoto had planned to walk up the stairs and take a shower before hitting the hay once again, but before he was able to get the first step up the stairs he was stopped by the voice of his friend.

“Hey Mikoto, where do you think you’re going?” Kusanagi spoke, pausing his work for a moment.

“Hmm?” Mikoto groaned, looking back to Kusanagi. “To the shower.” he gave his straightforward reply.

“Not yet.” Kusanagi stalled.

“Why is that?” 

“Well you haven’t told me how it went.” Smiling with a pure look of support, but also had a dash of a ‘I told you so’ look, seeing Kusanagi had been proud that Mikoto finally got trained by the best of them and he figured it went amazing just like he said it would. 

_‘How did it go?’_ Mikoto thought over. Good, Mikoto supposed, really good. Though it was weird for Mikoto to ever describe something in his life as going _'really good’_, it was the only way Mikoto could really think to describe it. Thinking about Totsuka, Mikoto couldn’t think of anything else besides positvity, though he did think he was sort of a dumb brat, especially for getting himself in trouble with all those boys, but then Mikoto realized that Kusanagi was talking about his time skating rather than his time with Totsuka. 

“It went fine.” Mikoto gave his flat response.

“Just fine?” Kusanagi pried. 

“Yeah.” 

Kusanagi furrowed his brows to Mikoto’s usual reply before letting him off free. 

“Alright then, congrats on doing ‘fine’, make sure not to spend too long in the shower, you’ve been killing the water bill.” Kusanagi teased.

Mikoto chuckled before turning his head to the stairs and waving Kusanagi off as he headed to the showers to hopefully help clear his mind.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Days thirteen through eleven went by in a blast, which Mikoto never thought it would. Mikoto still stumbled about which Totsuka felt it was a little odd that even after a week of skating straight, he still wasn’t good enough to go backwards or even making it around the rink multiple times without breaking himself, but Totsuka didn’t tell him this, he only congratulated him on his progress and encouraged him as they continued their training. 

But at the end of day ten, Totsuka seemed to be acting a little strange. 

Making a lap around the rink, Mikoto stopped, still using the wall to aid him, while Totsuka stared with worried furrowed brows. 

“What’s your problem?” Mikoto questioned, being more free with his words now that he has become more comfortable with the blonde. 

“Nothing is my problem,” Totsuka spoke up, “I was just wondering if you needed a break.” 

“No?” Mikoto chuffed in laughter, “Why would I need a break? You never offered them when I busted my ass before ‘coach’” Mikoto teased to Totsuka’s troubled look, not really understanding where Totsuka’s worry came from. 

“I guess you aren’t failing this time around.” Totsuka giggles, causing Mikoto to slightly pout to Totsuka’s teasing, “I just thought you looked a little pale, is all. You haven’t been as feisty either.”

“I look pale?” Mikoto questioned before looking to Totsuka who could most definitely use some sunlight himself.

“Mhm, maybe I'm just overreacting.” Totsuka smiles softly, pushing back his concerns, looking to Mikoto again.

Reaching with his hand that didn’t keep him stable against the wall, Mikoto ruffled Totsuka’s blonde hair with a small grin. 

“You’re dumb, you know that?” 

“What?! King!” Totsuka exclaimed in shock of the harsh words from his protege. 

“I’m fine. Nothing to worry about. Let’s go another lap.” Mikoto spoke out before going ahead of his coach, feeling rather cocky in his skills.

“Wait up!” Totsuka called to the taller male before seeing Mikoto crash into the ground. 

Totsuka could only sigh.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After school on day nine, Totsuka received a message from Mikoto which read, _“No training today”_ .

Looking out of the school's windows at the dreary weather which made all the winter snow into slush, Totsuka couldn’t help but feel a little worried about Mikoto. He figured maybe he was just tired and needed a break from skating every day. So with no further thought of it, Totsuka went to his locker and got bundled in his winter coat and began to start his journey to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Next chapter we'll be taking a step away from the ice rink! And I dont know...maybe you'll be getting a sick fic. I don't know. 
> 
> Stay tuned ;)
> 
> P.S THANK YOU EVERYONE!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikoto comes down with a cold preventing him from training for the day, so Totsuka plays his nurse to get him back to health.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY GUYS! THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST SLOW CHAPTER! AFTER THIS WE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING TO PLOT! THING SHOULD ACTUALLY START HAPPENING! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS FAR! YOU ARE SUCH A TROOPER IF YOU DID! GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS MIKOTOTSU!

“Ah damn,” Kusanagi took a drag from his cigarette, standing in the doorway of Mikoto Suoh’s bedroom while he stared to the lug of a man who recently had come down with a rather harsh cold. 

Leaving Mikoto behind him, still resting in bed. Kusanagi began to head down the stairs to the bar, retreating to the kitchen as he spoke out loud to himself.

“Idiot just had to catch himself a cold, huh?” Kusanagi opened the refrigerator peering inside to find only ingredients for the bar’s menu and nothing that looked appetizing for a sick person. 

Groaning, Kusanagi continued his rant out loud, “I told him that wearing a damn leather jacket in this weather was a bad idea, but did he listen? Of course not.” the blonde ranted as he went through the containment's of the fridge.

“This guy acts like a damn toddler when sick, I really don’t have time to play the role of his nanny today.”,thinking of the test he had tomorrow and had planned to study for at the library until late and maybe stop to get some coffee on the way and absent mindedly flirt with the female barista’s, then head home with enough time to sleep the proscribed eight hours for he could wake up and royally ace this test, but fate had handed him a hopeless man child who may act tough when he’s sick, but Kusanagi knew perfectly well Mikoto would sooner die in his bed then get up and make himself tea. 

Closing the refrigerator door, Kusanagi declared his next step of action, “You know what, I’ll just buy him soup, slip him some NyQuil and escape him while he sleeps this whole thing off.” 

Sounding like a bad parent, Kusanagi headed towards the door to grab his black winter jacket from the coat rack, threw a black and white striped scarf around his neck, and left the bar’s building being followed out by the chime of the bell. 

After driving a little ways to a small organic grocery store, Kusanagi entered and headed straight to the pre-made soup to save him the hassle of cooking, “I hope this place has NyQuil.” Kusanagi prayed out loud to himself, pouring the hot substance into one of their paper bowls making a small mess on the outside of the cup.

“Kusanagi-san!” A voice called out to him, a voice that he knew but wasn’t quite familiar just yet, and turning around he was surprised to see it was Mikoto’s new ‘coach’, Totsuka Tatara. Though it was rather odd to see him like this. In the past Kusanagi had only seen him in athletic skating pants and training jackets, now he had been wearing a light mauve over-sized sweater, chino pants, a pair of red converse and to top it all off the boy had been wearing the green apron with the store logo printed upon it. 

“Ah, Totsuka.” Kusanagi pleasantly smiled to the boy, “I didn’t know you worked here.” 

“Yeah, I do. I’m only part time though. I’m about to get off actually.” Totsuka smiled his usual sweet smile. 

“Need a ride at all? It’s after all the least I can do with you helping Mikoto out for free and all.” Kusanagi offered. 

“Oh, Thanks but I ride a bike everywhere I go and I don’t think the manager would appreciate me leaving a bike here overnight. “

“You bike and skate then?” Kusanagi questioned out of curiosity.

“Mhm,” Totsuka hummed with a nod, “I don’t bike for sport but It’s my only source of transportation.” 

“Ah, sounds like a lot of strain our your legs.” 

Giggling in reply, Totsuka shook his head to deny his statements, “No, not at all.” He paused before changing the subject, “So, what brings you here Kusanagi-san?” 

To the question at hand, Kusanagi couldn’t help but groan at the thought of why he was here to begin with. 

“The big oaf got himself a cold and has been acting like he’s been on his death bed sense this morning, so I came here to get some soup for the poor guy.” Scratching his head out of irritation, Kusanagi looked to Totsuka who showed to have a worried expression.

“King?” Totsuka questioned though the person Kusanagi spoke of was obvious, “He looked under the weather last night.” the younger boy looked down with a tinge of guilt seeing that he didn’t force Mikoto to take it easy in last night's training. “It’s no wonder he must feel dreadful today, poor King.” 

Kusanagi chuckles lightly to the nickname Totsuka had been calling Mikoto, but didn’t care to question it. He figured maybe it was an inside joke or maybe a sarcastic ice skating term that meant he sucked. 

“Don’t sweat it, Mikoto always overreacts when he’s sick, especially if I’m there. He just abuses his power of being sick to be lazy and makes me do everything for him.” Kusanagi groaned again. 

Giggling to the thought of a sick Mikoto, all wrapped in blankets as he orders Kusanagi around brought a small amount of joy to Totsuka, but for the boy who was a little to kind of his own good, Totsuka continued to worry about his ‘student’. 

“He still has me worried though.” Totsuka continued with a wry smile to Kusanagi’s re-ensuring funny words, but his eyebrows still furrowed with concern. 

“Well, if you’re really that worried then why don’t you take the soup to him?” Kusanagi offered, “I got a test tomorrow and gotta go to the library, I don’t really got time to be a parent right now.” he explained. 

“Sure,” Totsuka quickly replied, “But I don’t know where King lives.” the blonde looked to Kusanagi for his wisdom on the matter.

“I can drop you off.” Kusanagi offered.

“But my bike.” 

“Ah yeah, my little beater car definitely won't be able to fit a bike.” Kusanagi began to stare up in thought. 

“I can try asking a coworker!” Totsuka offered his smile transforming into a bright one, “His friend owns a van because he delivers alcohol here from his dad’s company! He could probably take it!” 

Problem being solved almost immediately, Kusanagi chuckled at Totsuka’s childlike excitement to take care of Mikoto. 

“Own’s an alcohol company, huh?” Kusanagi spoke his thoughts out loud, “Probably know the guy.” The older blonde figured seeing that he’d been working with alcohol distributors for years and expected he knew anyone who was local.

“Alright, I’ll be right back, I think Yata-chan is on can stocking duty.” Totsuka spoke out loud dropping his friends name before running off. 

“Alright, I’mma check out!” Kusanagi yelled after Totsuka who waved him off, saying he’d be right back again. 

“What a weird kid.” The older blonde chuckled before making it to the checkout line. 

After checking out it only took a short while before Totsuka made it back to him, now without his apron and instead a red parka jacket with cream fur hood and a blue winter patterned scarf, soon after that Totsuka made his way to Kusanagi’s old 1990's car that seemed to be falling apart at the seems. But what seemed like a god given miracle, the car started and the two were off to the Homura bar to take care of the ‘sick King.’

When arriving, Totsuka couldn’t say he was shocked Mikoto lived over a bar, it almost seemed perfect for a lax, bad boy like himself and as Totsuka walked up the stairs and entered the bar with the chime welcoming him in. Totsuka couldn’t help but be impressed with the stylish interior but Totsuka had to confess if this was Mikoto’s home, it only felt as if it lacked domestic details, but Totsuka’s own home lacked any decoration so thinking this seemed a little hypocritical in the end. 

“This place is beautiful.” Totsuka spoke in awe of the rather suave bar. 

“Ah yeah, It’s my uncles, I just work here to get things prepped and bar tend when necessary.” Kusanagi explain, taking Totsuka’s coat and scarf like the gentleman he is, before hanging it up on the coat rack. 

“Does King work here?” Totsuka questioned getting a loud ‘Pfffft” Sound from Kusanagi who replied in a laugh. 

“As if, I’m lucky if I can get him to do a dish.” 

“Just like a King I guess.” Totsuka smiled as he looked around, debating which way Mikoto’s room was. 

“Well, Mikoto’s room is upstairs, It’s unlocked so just make yourself known, okay?” Kusanagi stated as he pointed to the stairs. “I’m going to head out now, if you need to know where anything is, Mikoto should be able to tell you, he isn’t that useless.” 

“Alright,” Totsuka nodded, “Thank you so much.” 

“No need to thank me, you’re the one getting getting trapped with the beast.” Kusanagi joked.

Replying to his joke with a small short lived laugh, before thanking him again and heading up the stairs to Mikoto’s small apartment. Totsuka quietly knocked to warn Mikoto of his presence, before entering the room. The room was rather large, not quite the size of a master bedroom, but larger than a normal teens room. Totsuka couldn’t help but feel it was rather empty though, seeing it only had a bed, a night stand, a dresser, a small fridge and currently dirty clothes littered across the floor. 

“Hey King,” Totsuka spoke out into the room, announcing his presence to Mikoto who just looked like a lump under a bunch of blankets currently. 

Hearing the soft sound of Totsuka’s voice in his half asleep state seemed like a part of a dream. Usually around this time of day he’d be at the ice rink hearing that voice shoot orders at him and giggle as if world peace was accomplished and he had no worries left. Mikoto ignored the voice as he drifted further into sleep before hearing the light weight steps come closer to his bed that definitely didn’t belong to Kusanagi.

Shooting up from his lying position, Mikoto looked to Totsuka with a surprised look that could have read to be startled and a little angry. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Mikoto attempt to say in an intense voice, but with his sinus all stuffed and his throat sore, he just sounded weak. 

Smiling to the comedic sight of Mikoto’s red hair all in different directions thanks to his bed head, Totsuka giggled before explaining himself.

“Kusanagi-san found me at my job and said you could use a nurse, So here I am.” The sunshine like boy beamed.

Groaning, Mikoto slid back down into bed before shutting his eyes again, expecting this whole situation as is.

“Weirdo, shouldn’t be asking strangers to take care of people.” Mikoto spoke to his absent friend.

Taking a seat at the end of the bed with no permission, Totsuka only chuckled as he shook his head. 

“That’s not the case at all King.” Totsuka explained but did leave out the part that Totsuka honestly wanted to take care of Mikoto. 

Sense laying eyes on Mikoto, Totsuka had felt an overwhelming urge to be near him. Like a moth drawn in by a flame, Totsuka had wanted to be near that warmth, he wanted to take care of that warmth as well for he could be around it as long as possible. Totsuka hadn’t known why he felt this way, but he also wasn’t the type to deny himself of a emotion, he accepted this emotion with no complaint and just wanted to see it through to the end. 

Without getting a reply from Mikoto, Totsuka spoke up again. 

“I got you soup, King.” Totsuka smiled as he held onto the soup sitting in his lap which still felt warm even after the traveling. 

“Thanks.” Mikoto replied, not opening up his amber eyes, just laying back with his arms behind his head, playing it cool as if he didn’t look like hard boiled hell and was fighting off a sinus cold.

“Do you need to be fed it?” Totsuka questioned only half joking. Totsuka remembered being told Mikoto had acted like a child when sick, so if Mikoto truly needed help eating each bite of soup, Totsuka would aid him on such then tease him later for it. 

Mikoto’s cheeks, already red from the fever he had been fighting, only seemed to burn more with the thought of Totsuka spoon feeding him each bite of soup. He wasn’t sure if it was an embarrassing thought that made his cheeks flourish, or some other reason his sick brain couldn’t comprehend. 

Sitting up, Mikoto reached and took the soup and plastic spoon from Totsuka’s hands, who let them go willingly.

“I can feed myself, I’m not a child.” Mikoto grunted, taking the food into his lap from Totsuka.

“Okay,” Totsuka aloofly giggled, watching Mikoto open up his hearty soup, taking a first bite without any care about the heat of the containment's inside. “So you go to an all boys school?” Totsuka questioned. He had spent hours with Mikoto in the past but only small personal things got dropped in between the lessons, Now Totsuka just took this as a chance to finally get to know his protege better.

Mikoto only nodded to the question in reply as he took another bite of his soup.

“So do you like boys then?” Totsuka questioned, placing his elbows on his knees while holding up his head.

Choking on his soup from the wording of the question, Mikoto hissed a “What?” Between his coughs.

“Oh, I just mean sense you go to an all boys school. Do you like being with boys then?” Totsuka reworded his sentence but not much better. 

“What the hell does that mean?” Mikoto grunted, coughs still in-between his words. 

“It means do you get along. The ice skating team as both boys and girls though we have mostly boys, so I just wondered if you fit in better with a pack of boys.” Totsuka explained with a small laugh seeing Mikoto seemed to be taking his question the wrong way, but Totsuka also didn’t care to apologize for his bad wording either. 

Sighing at Totsuka’s lack of tact, Mikoto replied, “They suck, but I guess it’s better than being stuck in a pack of girls.”

“I can see how King would have troubles with that.” Totsuka laughed again before taking the napkin out of the culinary pack Mikoto had gotten his spoon from, as he leaned over and clean the small mess Mikoto made on his face from his coughing fit. 

Freezing in place, Mikoto was thankful for this cold making his face all red for his blush hadn’t become noticeable. Snatching the napkin from Totsuka’s hands, Mikoto began to wipe his own face while the other boy backed down and sat once again in his former position. 

“I can clean my own face.” The red head grumbled. 

“Alright.” Totsuka only kept a sweet smiled laced upon his lips which had Mikoto debating if the younger boy had been flirting with him, but after knowing Totsuka only a short while he assumed Totsuka was just being nice, but with the foul worded question then the unnecessary touching of Mikoto’s face, Mikoto hated that his sick brain had led him to that thought, but it also had him feel even sicker with the thought that if Totsuka was this nice with everyone then one day he’d get the wrong guys attention and get himself in trouble. 

Totsuka simply sat, smiling and watching 'King' with no words, making Mikoto who was the usual silent feel as if his nerves where being pressed upon and made it hard deal with the sound his head made all for Totsuka, and with his smiling and stare never ceasing that always kept his mind racing. Mikoto decided to start the next conversation with a lack of words. 

“What about you?” 

“What do you mean?” Totsuka asked with a tilt to his head. 

“What school are you in?” He questioned, staring away from Totsuka, and back to his soup as he began to eat a little more.

“I just go to an ordinary school, but if it wasn’t for ice skating then I probably wouldn’t be able to attend.” Totsuka spoke slightly solemn as his smile began to become more overcast compared to his sunshine like one. 

Mikoto looked up from his bowl to look at Totsuka with a raised eyebrow.

“That doesn't make any sense.” Mikoto put bluntly. 

“Well, you see, my father is a bit of an absent one and spends most of his money on gambling and alcohol so I have a lot of debt to pay off, and about six months ago my dad left out again, which was normal and after a few weeks I still didn’t think much of it, but after a few months I can’t help but wonder if he just gambled with the wrong person. “ Totsuka explained with a pained smile, but honestly inside his heart he felt worse because he hadn’t felt truly upset about the situation he had been living in. He simply accepted it and felt it was more of a burden that he was left with never ending debt, more than he felt truly upset that he’d never see the face of his father figure again. 

“Oh,” Mikoto spoke not knowing what to say, after all for Mikoto who doesn’t talk to very many people, wasn’t used to people dropping such scorching facts about themselves to often. Though it wasn’t exactly normal for people to drop facts like that at all, especially still being able to keep a smile while telling them, though he didn’t tell him in his usual chirpy voice, Mikoto still felt it was odd he told it so strongly even though it had been so recent. 

“You said Ice skating keeps you in school, why?” Mikoto slightly changed the subject back to the previous one seeing he lacked words for the other topic. 

“Oh right, I started ice skating in my first year of middle school. My dad had gotten a cheap pair of skates at a garage sale one day. They didn’t fit at the time and where way to big for me too. “ Totsuka chuckled at the memory, “I was a little irritated because I thought we could have used that money for food instead, but now I’m grateful because thanks to those skates I was able to meet Kuroh-kun.” smiling fondly at the memory, the gloom Totsuka had seemed to clear as he spoke on, “Kuroh-kun is a little younger than me but is was better than me, even now. After meeting him I began to skate more frequently with him, and Kuroh-kun’s father would pay for me to practice with him. Then after awhile we became closer and they had me over for dinners or in the winter when my dad wasn’t home and I had no heat. I never talked about home with either one of them, but Ichigen-san just seemed to always just know things. He was just amazing like that, but last year he as well past away.” The blonde spoke in awe, grateful for all the family had done for him though his awe would never be as impressive as Kuroh’s almost fanboy personality towards his foster father. 

Mikoto listen feeling a little heavy from listening to Totsuka’s troubles in life, Mikoto had his fair share, but even trying to pity himself, not that he did often, seemed a little hard when Totsuka seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders but yet still smiled through it and with every problem he faced simply said “Don’t sweat it, it’ll all work out.” 

“So when it came to high school, I definitely wouldn’t have had enough money to stay in school, if it wasn’t for Ichigen-san telling me as long as I stay friends with Kuroh-kun and keep skating and pursuing my hobbies, he’ll help me with my school bills, but now Kuroh-kun’s older brother Yukari-san is in charge of coaching us and handles my school business. Though I think Yukari-san is great, I have to say I think he’s far more intimidating than Ichigen ever was, seeing Yukari-san is obsessed with beauty and unlike Ichigen, he doesn’t see anything beautiful about your mistakes.” Totsuka giggled again, feeling a small bit bad for having Mikoto listen to his story.

Mikoto didn’t really have the words to say, after all what do you have to say after hearing things like that besides ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I’m happy you now have a place to belong.’ either statement wasn’t Mikoto's style. So he simply took a tissue from his bedside table, blew his nose and respond in his normal lax casual way. 

“Sounds like your club is full of troubled teens.” 

Shaking his head in denial, “Not really, some of us I guess, but it’s mostly just for fun.” Totsuka chuckled to Mikoto’s reply. “So why are you in an all boys school?” the younger blonde questioned. 

Staring to Totsuka sort of like he was an alien, Mikoto paused for the fact he wasn’t really good with questioning. In his daily life normally people don’t bother talking to him do to his standoffish aura he puts off, and the people who did ask him questions already knew these facts about his life. So it felt a small bit awkward to speak to Totsuka because it probably had been about a year since someone cared to ask a normal question to him, but he didn’t mind it. He actually liked it when it came to talking to Totsuka. Totsuka had always listened to him and always had something to say to Mikoto’s painfully short replies that would usually have the room in dead silence. He was soft and gentle to speak to and at times it was like talking to yourself inside your head and having your minds speak the words you want to hear, although Mikoto’s mind was a negative one and avoided telling him nice things that made him feel calm. Totsuka, on the other hand was like a cool breeze on a hot summer day to Mikoto’s mind. 

“My Grandpa.” Mikoto gave his short reply, but seeing the eyes of Totsuka still stare at him for a further explanation, Mikoto went on, “When I was younger I got in a bunch of fights. So he thought it was a good idea to send me to an all boys school.”

“Well that doesn’t make sense either does it? If you tend to fight with boys then why send you where there’s hundreds of other boys?” Totsuka bluntly questioned. 

Mikoto shrugged, “He figured if a boy is going to fight then he should fight boys. The school has always been strict about getting into trouble anyways. If the old man wasn’t rich I would have been thrown out long ago.” The redhead took another bite of his food which had begun to get cold. 

“Got it.” Totsuka nodded, “So does your Grandpa live at the bar too?” the younger boy asked but didn’t figure sense Mikoto mentioned his Grandpa being rich and as fancy as the Homura bar was, he didn’t figure any rich old man would care to live here with their grandson. 

“No, he kicked it in my second year.” Mikoto said with no hard feelings or no actual emotion at all. 

Totsuka felt a little down hearing the news of the passing on Mikoto’s grandfather, but sense Mikoto hadn’t seemed down by it in the slightest, Totsuka decided to continue smiling. Totsuka after all understood that even though a loss in a family is usually tragic, sometimes it was better off that way and maybe it was that sort of situation with Mikoto’s grandfather. 

“Got it, so you just live here with Kusanagi-san?” Totsuka questioned.

“No, it’s his uncle's bar, I live here and he lives in an apartment closer to campus.” Mikoto replied with a cough, setting his empty bowl of soup on his night stand.

“All done, huh?” Totsuka chirped at the sight of Mikoto’s empty bowl, hopping off the large bed and grabbing it from the counter. “I’m gonna throw this away, do you want me to make you any tea?” Totsuka inquired.

Mikoto shrugs, not really caring for hot drinks, especially when he had a high temperature, but it may help the sting in his throat. 

“Sure.” Mikoto plainly replied.

“Alright, I’ll be right back then!” Totsuka cheered before running off to make tea for the sick man. 

_‘Does he even know where the kitchen is?’_ Mikoto thought to himself but didn’t care to shout as ask. _‘What a weird kid.’_, but as if his mind defended Totsuka the next thought that came to Mikoto’s mind was _'But he’s cute.' _ Regretting the thought and blaming it on his fever. Mikoto slipped back into his blankets and rolled over to his side once again shutting his eyes. 

Mikoto couldn’t help but to think about how he had been talking a lot today, he’s been talking a lot this past week actually, but even though he had been working his sore throat with all these words, Mikoto did feel a lot better. Maybe it was the medicine he took finally kicking in, or the soup was some sort of magic, or maybe Totsuka himself was magic. Thinking these thoughts of magic and Totsuka are quite frankly ridiculous, cheesy and dumb. Mikoto as quickly as he awoke had quickly faded off to sleep once again. 

Almost thirty minutes after leaving Mikoto, Totsuka finally found his way to the large bar kitchen, then found the bar’s tea supply, found a teapot, then finally brewed the tea, poured two cups for the pair and began to head his way upstairs once more. 

“Ta-da!” Totsuka cheered as he made his grand entrance, but with no words, not even a stare. Totsuka walked to the sleeping body of his ‘student’.

“King?” Totsuka spoke quietly to check if Mikoto had in fact been asleep. 

Seeing Mikoto’s tough face, now soft as he slept, his chest rising and falling heavily. Totsuka couldn’t help himself but smile at the cute sight. He couldn’t even be upset that all the hassle of making tea had gone to waste. 

Setting the drinks onto the nightstand, Totsuka began to tuck in the sleeping king, before taking a blanket from the end of the bed and making himself a modest bed on the hardwood floor. 

“Good night, King.” Totsuka spoke out loud with a sweet smile before laying down on his shabby bed which lacked a cover, and shut his eyes before falling asleep along with Mikoto. 

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The time was now 12 AM and a new day had begun, but for Kusanagi who had studied til late the night was just continuing. He had finally made his way back to the bar, to pick up Totsuka to assist him on his ride home, but when arriving, he was greeted with the sight of both of his friends asleep. The one as usual, completely knocked out in his bed but not like usual, he was now snoring thanks to his cold, and his other younger friend laying on a blanket on the hardwood floor like a dog, looking angelic as he snoozes. 

“Really Mikoto?” Kusanagi couldn’t help but speak out loud at the sight of their house guests sleeping on the cold hard ground with nothing covering him up. 

“You’re such a horrible host.” The older blond grumbled before walking to the hall closet, retrieving a blanket, the returning and tucking Totsuka in who only seemed to wake slightly, mumbling something inaudible then fading back into sleep. 

Walking to the light switch, Kusanagi hit the lights, taking one last look into the moonlit room at the sight of his friends. 

“Good night you two.” He spoke out loud before shutting the door, walking downstairs and taking his rest on the couch of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER THE PLOT SHOULD ACTUALLY GET ROLLING GUYS! These last few chapters where just supposed to get you into their relationship before I start springing action onto people! So get prepared for new cast members!! Maybe Munakata will show up and be a asshole. Who could say.


End file.
